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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

encore

Definition: Pronounced as 'N-call', this is a code-mixing term used to get the performer to sing one more time at the end of a concert.

Usage: E.g.今次演唱會唔知會ENCORE幾多次呢? E.g. Encore!!!我今次要encore到爆為止!

Synonym: 唱多一次

send

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to sending things over the internet. ('發送')

Usage: E.g. 你可唔可以send張相比我呀?

Synonym: 發送

rat race

Definition: Derived from the Chinese term '內卷' and often translated as 'involution', this is an Englishised code-mixing term that describes an economic situation where excessive competition does not lead to development and innovation. This may lead to people feeling stressed, anxious, and trapped, as the two characters mean 'inside rolling'.

Usage: E.g. I'm stuck in the rat race! I'm so tired of competing with everyone just to climb the career ladder!

Synonym: 內卷

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjTg1G8rpVc

fun

Definition: Often used as a bilingual pun that rhymes with '分' meaning 'points' or 'share' in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use in advertising to attract people to attend an event for the sake of having fun and earning points together.

Usage: E.g. 100FUN樂滿紛 |6週年齊FUN享 (100 Fun-Filled Fun | Let's Share Our 6th Anniversary Celebration)

Synonym: 分; 樂趣

Reference: https://www.kkday.com/zh-hk/product/270767?srsltid=AfmBOoozOC0SsPhQP61ffB7h06phXofqw0cf1SPQbf-CHhWuSNHZs5Co

pickleball

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a game where a player hits a plastic ball with holes in it using a small racquette, which usually appeals more to females who find playing tennis too difficult.

Usage: E.g. 早幾年啲女興行山(有對腳就行得)、做GYM(有手有腳就可以鳩做+打卡)。之後就開始Tennis,但門檻較高,同埋太多女學極都係咁廢,三分鐘熱度就收皮。而家就開始pickle ball,因為夠易玩 (In the past few years, girls were interested in hiking (you can walk if you have feet) and doing gym (you can do it if you have hands and feet + take pictures). Then they started playing tennis, but the learning curve is higher, and too many were extremely useless even when they kept learning, or they just gave up after 3 minutes. Now they started playing pickleball because it's easy enough to play.)

Synonym: 匹克球

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3987075/page/1

hard feeling

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to avoid the use of sensitive negative vocabulary when they want to describe a situation where there can be anger or resentment involved when disagreement happens.

Usage: E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有hard feeling, ok? B: OK,明白。 (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any hard feelings okay? B: Okay, understood.) E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有怨恨, ok? B: 講咩呀你?我幾時有怨恨?! (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any resentment okay? B: What are you talking about? When did I have resentment?!)

Synonym: 憤怒, 怨恨, 不快

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3777161/page/1

last minute

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to the revision notes that they would read at the last moment before a DSE exam.

Usage: E.g. 最後一分鐘(Last minute)系列 - 你點睇? (What do you think of the book series called Last Minute?)

Synonym: 最後一分鐘

Reference: https://blog.tutorcircle.hk/33397/最後一分鐘-last-minute-有冇用-好唔好/#google_vignette

list out

Definition: Often mistaken as grammatically incorrect and seen as redundant with ‘out’ conforming to ‘列出‘ in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to jotting down a number of items on a piece of paper or device.

Usage: E.g. 你可以先list out所有項目,然後研究每一個點樣做。(You may first list out all the items, then study how each one can be done.)

Synonym: 列出

Reference: https://ludwig.guru/s/list+out

winter melon tofu

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe any unfortunate event such as an accident.

Usage: E.g. If I have any winter melon tofu, I will sue your company!!!

Synonym: 冬瓜豆腐

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/39119/

router

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers use to refer to an equipment that helps connect computer networks together.

Usage: E.g. 個router係咪壞左?點解冇network既?

Synonym: 路由器

Reference: https://www.threads.net/@hongtonese/post/C8zlfwZytLZ

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